Chapter 16 Blue
The humidity in the air sticks to my skin as I stride into the library, where the club holds Church. The mint green bookshelves cast eerie shadows on the unusual collection of knickknacks—a mix of creepy dolls and voodoo altars that seem to watch my every move.
“All right, brothers,” I announce as I bang the gavel, silencing the murmurs in the room. “Let’s get down to business.”
Ice, Bones, Fang, Diablo, and Tank are all present, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern. I can feel the weight of their gazes as I take a deep breath.
“Blue is under my protection now,” I declare, my voice steady and firm.
A ripple of surprise moves through the room, but I know this is the right decision. It’s time for me to step up and ensure her safety.
Ice’s blue eyes flash as he narrows his gaze at me. He leans back in his chair, studying me intently before speaking up. “You claimin’ Blue?”
I pause for a moment, considering the implications of my answer. If I tell the men I’m claiming her, she’ll be protected by everyone at the club. Our relationship will be official in their eyes. But am I ready for that?
Fuck it! I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, and I won’t let her down.
“Yeah, I’m claimin’ her,” I affirm, my tone leaving no room for doubt. The others exchange glances, but they know better than to question my decision.
“About damn time,” Bones grumbles, scratching his beard thoughtfully. As the others nod in agreement, I realize that despite their initial surprise, they understand why I’ve made this choice. Blue needs us.
“Let’s make sure she stays safe,” I say, and the room erupts in a chorus of agreement. “The MC is her family now.”
“Damn right,” Ice says, nodding.
The others slap the table and voice their agreement. They don’t all know about what happened last night, so I need to bring them up to speed.
“Listen up,” I say, my voice low and serious. “Blue ran away from her father after he hit her. That piece of shit laid his hands on her, and she had nowhere else to go, so she came here.”
The room erupts in anger, curses and threats flying like bullets. Their fury echoes my own. We may be a rough bunch, but none of us tolerate violence against women.
“We should give him a chance to come at one of us,” Diablo growls, his dark eyes burning with rage. “No one should ever hit a woman.”
“Her father deserves to die for what he did, not just to her, but for his role in what happened with those other girls,” Bones adds, his fists clenched tight.
“He was involved with that. I’m sure of it,” Fang adds. “There’s enough of a trail back to him that I knew he helped orchestrate the exchange.”
“How sure are you?” I ask.
“I’d stake my rep on it.”
“Like I said, guy needs to be six feet under,” Diablo says.
I nod in agreement. Killing Blue’s father holds a certain allure. But as much as I want that bastard dead, I know it could cause more trouble than it’s worth. We don’t need any more enemies right now.
“Killing him would be satisfying,” I admit, “but we have to think about the long-term consequences. We’re not doing Blue any favors if we end up bringing more heat down on ourselves. So, for now, we focus on keeping her safe and making sure that son of a bitch doesn’t get anywhere near her.”
The others grumble, but they eventually agree to hold off on any immediate action. I can see it in their eyes, though, if Blue’s father ever shows his face around here again, he won’t leave in one piece.
“Speaking of which,” I continue, “I’m concerned about leaving her alone. That’s why I’ve decided to take her with me on our next run.”
“Wait a minute,” Ice interrupts, his brow furrowing. “You’re taking her on a run? That’s highly unusual. Non-club members don’t go on runs.”
“I know it’s not the norm,” I reply, my voice steady and unyielding. “But Blue needs us, and she needs to learn how we operate. Besides, I’m claiming her. She’s going to be part of this family now.”
As I meet each of their eyes in turn, I can see them processing the situation. It’s clear they’re willing to bend the rules for Blue, but I know they’re also worried about her safety, about our relationship, and about what this decision means for all of us.
“If you say it’s what’s best for her, then we trust you,” Ice says, his eyes locked on mine.
“Damn right we do,” Fang chimes in. “We’ve got your back, brother.”
“Thanks,” I tell them, knowing that their loyalty is one of the things that keeps me going in this crazy life we’ve chosen. “And I’ve got yours, too.”
“What’s the plan for the run?” Diablo asks.
“Next week, we’ve got a kid coming from the Montana chapter. We’re taking him over to Lydia’s place. She’s going to adopt him with a little help from our contact at the adoption agency.” I smile because this is at the heart of what we do, protecting people who need it. And based on what Scar told me, this boy needs it.
“Who’s coming with the kid?” Ice asks.
“Scar and Julia. Maybe some other club members too.”
“Jesus, everyone’s bringing their women on club runs now.” Diablo shakes his head.
“You’ll understand when you’re pussy-whipped too,” Fang jokes.
“Never gonna happen,” Diablo snarls.
“Anyone want to make a bet on that?” Fang asks.
“What’s the line?” Ice asks, smirking at Diablo.
“Let’s say, one year?” Fang glances at Bones, who is grinning from ear to ear.
“Yeah. I’ll take the under on that.” Bones chuckles.
“How much?” Ice asks.
“Twenty bones,” Fang says.
“Done. I’ve got the over,” I say, because there’s no way in hell Diablo’s going to find a woman to settle down with in the next year. I’ve known him long enough to know it will take one hell of a woman to tame him.
Once we figure out who’s betting on what, I bring the meeting back to business. After explaining the logistics of the run to pick up the kid, I grab the gavel. “Anything else?”
A chorus of ‘no’s’ fills the room.
“Dismissed.” I slam the gavel down.
With the meeting wrapped up, I head upstairs to check on Blue. She’s waiting for me in my room, or at least, that’s where I left her. But as I reach the top of the stairs, I hear shouting coming from down the hall. My heart clenches, and I break into a run, fearing the worst.
“Get off me, you bitch!” Blue’s voice rings out.
I skid to a halt outside my bedroom door. Inside my room, Blue and Jolene are locked in a fierce struggle.
“Stay away from him! He’s mine!” Jolene snarls, her green eyes blazing with jealousy and rage.
“Keep dreaming!” Blue spits back, shoving Jolene away from her.
The room explodes with chaos as Blue and Jolene tangle like a pair of wildcats, rolling across the floor while digging their nails into each other’s skin. I can’t believe what I’m seeing. My usually composed, sultry jazz singer is trading blows with Jolene like she’s a trained fighter.
“Enough!” I roar, stepping forward to intervene.
They don’t seem to hear me. Instead, their eyes are locked and brimming with murderous intent. Jolene bares her teeth, snarling like a madwoman.
“Vapor’s mine, you little bitch!” she hisses, her fingers clawing toward Blue’s throat.
“Fuck off, Jolene!” she retorts, using her legs to push the other woman away.
They separate momentarily, both panting heavily, but their fight is far from over. Jolene lunges at Blue again, aiming a punch at her face, but Blue ducks and sidesteps, managing to avoid the blow.
I could get between them and stop the fight, but Blue flashes a look at me that says I should back off, so I do. If she wants to finish this battle, then I’ll let her.
“You think you’re special, don’t you?” Jolene taunts, a malicious grin spreading across her face. “Well, let me tell you something, sweetheart. You’re just another piece of ass to Vapor. He’ll get bored and toss you aside, just like he did with me.”
“Shut up, Jolene!” I snap, losing my patience.
And then, without warning, her fist connects with Blue’s gut, driving the air from her lungs. Seeing Blue crippled by pain ignites something primal within me, an uncontrollable rage that demands retribution.
“Get the fuck out of this clubhouse, Jolene,” I snarl, my voice cold and menacing. “Pack your shit and leave. Now.”
“Are you serious?” Jolene scoffs, glaring at me. “She should be the one to leave! I was here first!”
“Blue’s my woman,” I say firmly, making sure there’s no room for doubt. “You mean nothing to me. Now get out before I call Diablo up here to make you leave.”
“You’re an asshole, Vapor!” Jolene screams, storming toward the door. “You’ll regret this!”
As she slams the door behind her, I turn my attention back to Blue, my concern for her overriding my anger. She’s breathing heavily, clutching her stomach where Jolene’s fist landed, but the fire in her eyes tells me she’s far from broken.
“Are you okay?” I ask softly, kneeling beside her.
“Y-yeah,” she gasps, struggling to catch her breath. “I’ve had worse. I don’t think I ever mentioned it, but I went to a private boarding high school. The catty bitches were worse than Jolene, if you can believe it.”
“I do,” I say, sincerity lacing my words. “Blue, I won’t let anyone hurt you again. Not Jolene, not your father, nobody. You have my word. I should’ve made it clear to everyone that you’re mine.”
She looks up at me, her emerald-green eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “It’s not your fault. Jolene just waltzed into your bedroom like she owned the place.”
“From now on, the only woman who belongs in my bedroom is you,” I tell her firmly, wanting her to understand how important she is to me. “I’ll make sure all the other sluts around here know that you’re belong to me.”
A small smile plays at the corners of her lips as she reaches up to brush a strand of coppery red hair from her face. “I like it when you say I’m yours.”
“Good,” I reply, my heart swelling with pride and affection for this strong, incredible woman.
I lean in and capture her lips in a passionate kiss, feeling our connection deepen and grow stronger with each passing moment. I’m falling for her. Hard and fast. And I don’t care because it feels so right.
But as we continue kissing, a nagging worry creeps into my mind. Will Blue be able to adapt to life within the club? She’s never experienced anything like this before. The MC is dangerous, and we deal with violence in some form or another almost every day. I can’t help but wonder if the reality of being part of a MC will become a problem between us. I can’t bear the thought of losing her, but will she be able to handle club life? It’s not for the faint of heart.
As her body melds against mine and our lips move together in perfect harmony, I push those concerns to the back of my mind. For now, all I can do is focus on protecting her and making her feel safe and loved. And when the time comes for her to face the challenges of our world, I’ll be by her side every step of the way.